MIAMI – With the Miami Heat looking to live up to its championship aspirations this upcoming season, the work continues with the preseason opener on Saturday in Puerto Rico against the Orlando Magic. While Heat star Tyler Herro has a foot injury and will miss time to start the season, there are others on the team who are also dealing with issues, as head coach Erik Spoelstra speaks about them.
Herro, Terry Rozier, Pelle Larsson, Kasparas Jakucionis, and Davion Mitchell will not travel to Puerto Rico for Saturday’s preseason opener as each deals with an injury. As cause for concern could arise within fans, Spoelstra would say after the final practice session of training camp on Friday that he wasn’t planning on playing big minutes for players anyway, as it will be a “good opportunity” for others to show their talents.
“We’ll just see who’s available tomorrow, and we’ll keep moving forward,” Spoelstra said. “Had a very good week. It’d be nice to play a game. I didn’t have any intentions of playing guys huge minutes, regardless, it’ll be a good opportunity for all the guys.”
Erik Spoelstra on five guards not traveling to Puerto Rico for the preseason opener. Didn’t have the intentions of playing guys big minutes anyways. #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/bCwo8pS2t3
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Throughout training camp at Florida Atlantic University, the injuries started piling up, though it’s important to note that none besides Herro’s seem to keep out any player long-term. Larsson has a left quad contusion, which he suffered during Sweden’s final game at EuroBasket, but has been making progress after each day of training camp.
Miami is hoping that the injuries don’t hold back the development of some of its young stars.
More injuries for the Heat besides Tyler Herro and Pelle Larsson
Though Heat guard Terry Rozier is ready to bounce back after a disappointing season, he sustained a hamstring strain towards the end of Tuesday’s training camp session when running sprints, though he said that he should be back next week. As for the rookie in Jakucionis, he is nursing a sprained left wrist, though the positive is that an MRI came back negative, telling ClutchPoints Thursday that he is ‘feeling great.”
Finally, Mitchell, a standout from last season, is dealing with calf soreness, with Miami taking precaution in him not traveling with the team. This will lead to more of the young core to step up, especially the two-way and Exhibit-10 players to prove their spot on the roster, like Ethan Thompson.
For Thompson, it will be an emotional game since his mother’s side of the family has roots in Puerto Rico, sharing his excitement for the contest on Thursday.
“It was more than a dream come true, for sure,” Thompson said. “I dream about playing in the NBA and then having the ability to be part of a game that’s in Puerto Rico, an island that I love and has shown love to me. And growing up in the culture, being half Puerto Rican from my mom’s side, growing up with my grandparents, it’s a blessing for sure.”
At any rate, Thompson and others look to show Spoelstra and the coaching staff that they deserve a spot as the preseason opener is on Saturday against the Magic. It is all in preparation for the Heat, who are trying to improve after finishing 10th in the Eastern Conference with a 37-45 record as the regular season opener is on Oct. 22, also against Orlando.
